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’Tax evaders’ nabbed at TZ-Zambia border
2006-06-25 10:04:56
By Lucky Mkandawire in Lusaka
Scores of cross-border traders operating between Tanzania, Dubai and Zambia had a rude awakening on Wednesday night when they were stranded at Nakonde border post after Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) impounded the buses they were travelling in.
Seven buses travelling from Tanzania were reportedly impounded by ZRA for allegedly carrying smuggled goods bought in Dubai and Tanzania into Zambia.
One of the victims, Nathan Tembo, who was travelling from Arusha said in an interview that customs officials at the boarder post in Northern Zambia pounced on the buses after realizing that most traders had contravened taxation laws.
But Tembo blamed ZRA for the move, saying it inconvenienced many people who were just travellers as they were also punished in the same way like the traders.
’’The customs officials should have looked for alternatives of punishing these people because it has bothered innocent people who were not traders,” he complained.
It is reported that about 3,000 traders cross the boarder at daily basis and the majority just sneak into the country without paying for the goods bought from Tanzania and Dubai.
And in a telephone interview with the Sunday Observer yesterday, an official at the boarder post, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the development saying they had no choice but to impound the buses because the traders were becoming uncooperative.
He said the tendency was becoming serious and complicated and government was losing millions of kwachas daily through such dirty tricks.
’’It is true we have impounded the buses because our investigations have revealed that some of the bus drivers and conductors connive with the traders to smuggle the goods,’’ he explained.
The officer said the intercepted goods which among others included kitchen utensils, clothes, phones and computer accessories were valued at about K40 million.
In another development, Zambia Immigration arrested nine Tanzanians for illegally trading in Lusaka recently.
Zambia Immigration Public Relations Officer Mulako Mbangweta told The Post that the Tanzanians were nabbed for trading in the country without proper permits.
She said the nine plus dozens of other Indians and Chinese would appear before the court soon.
Of late, there has been an influx of foreign traders, especially Zimbabwe women, selling petty products likes sweets, chocolates, drinks and biscuits along the streets of Lusaka.
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